Story number 3 for 13 May 2002

(International) — The Baptist World Alliance says peacemakers are desperately needed today. By naming the first decade of the new century “A Decade for Racial Justice and Reconciliation”, the group is urging other believers around the world to represent the love of Christ. The Alliance’s Denton Lotz says many believers are put to the test in war-torn countries. “We have to realize that to be a follower of Christ, very often means to be in the minority. Therefore, we have to affirm the society in which we live and try to work with other traditions and so on. What I see today is the tragedy of the religious wars and that we, as Christians, are really called upon to work for peace.” Lotz says the work of evangelism is at the brink of exploding, but obstacles remain. “We have the internationalization of the mission force. So, we need to see, in the American church, ‘are we willing to support nationals of other countries to go as missionaries where white people aren’t welcome?’ That’s the tremendous thing-the Koreans are doing tremendous work in Russia, and different places around the world.”